


It comes in black

by Ferroxus



Series: Taking our time [1]
Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Ficlet, Fluff, Inspired by Fanart, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:49:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23224300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ferroxus/pseuds/Ferroxus
Summary: Zagreus is entrusted with applying the polish on Thanatos' nails, and he doesn't miss the opportunity to feed his curiosity with some questions related.
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Series: Taking our time [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706437
Comments: 3
Kudos: 189





	It comes in black

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Beepaint](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beepaint/gifts).



> I felt better this day and suddenly found myself able to write the small and humble tribute to [this gorgeous fanart](https://twitter.com/beepaint/status/1240309048286654466) by Beepaint.

“So, I take it, mortals decorate their fingers with this as well?” Zagreus hesitantly dips the brush into the vial and takes it back out. A heavy black drop of the nail polish menacingly hangs down from the tip of the brush.

His battle-hardened hands are far more familiar with the titan-slaying weapons than with _this_ , but he is determined to do his best anyway.

“Right,” Thanatos nods. “Though, the surface variant of this polish involves different sorts of ingredients.”

Zagreus takes his eyes off the vial. “Oh?”

“Uh, first, mortal cosmetae do not make brushes of satyr fur, and their polish does not contain the blood of—“

“Alright, I got it!” Zagreus interrupts him hastily. “I guess it’s better not to know.”

Thanatos raises himself on one elbow and offers Zagreus his palm. Zagreus holds it gently, trying to resist the growing temptation to squeeze it and kiss every finger.

Thanatos interprets his hesitation in his own way.

“It does not differ much from holding a pen”, he says, attempting to encourage. “Like you used to do in the administrative chamber back then.”

Zagreus grins.

“Yeah, but I was the worst there and ended up being kicked out, remember?”

He focuses on Thanatos’ thumb first and carefully applies the polish. His own fingers are unaccustomed to such delicate work and thus, slightly shaky, and the brush moves not as neatly as he would prefer right now.

“Why do you even wear it?” he asks, being unable to control his thirst for knowledge about the surface, as always.

Thanatos stays silent for a few moments, as if thinking over something or trying to find the right words.

“It is the symbol,” he explains reluctantly. “Mortals associate the black nails with those of a dead person.”

“But you are not dead.”

“And not the most expected guest in any house, either. I reap their dead.”

Zagreus dips the brush into the vial again.

“So, these are supposed to be the scary Death claws?” His lips twitch in a smile.

“That’s… one way to put it.” Thanatos sighs. “ _Extremely_ simplified and offhanded but correct, in general.”

Both of them are very close to discovering a better way to use Thanatos’ nails.

These nails are good at leaving love scratches on Zagreus’ back but none of them is aware of this yet.


End file.
